The Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh has a model of one of the Pittsburgh inclines on their fantastic large O gauge layout.  Normally this time of year the layout is closed for its annual maintenance and updating.

I believe we have representatives of the CSC who follow and post on this Forum.  Perhaps they can share some info and photos.

HTH,

Bill

Wiseman makes some shorty On3/On30 passenger cars. Use HO track for the incline.

https://wisemanmodelservices.c...CH-PASSENGER-CAR-KIT

Pete

About 50 years ago there were two inclines in Pittsburgh - from a distance one was rather sleek and new looking and safe, and the other was dilapidated and seemed ready to fall apart and slide off the side of the mountain.   Since I'm afraid of heights, I was dismayed that we had to ride the scary dilapidated incline.  If my memory servers me well, it was like a split-level wooden shack with steps-like long benches to sit on inside, and it swayed back and forth sideways wildly as we went up the hill.   It was an unforgettable experience and years later I'm glad we did it.  Again, this was many, many years ago, but I'd hazard a guess that the incline was 10 x 10 or maybe a bit larger.  Can anyone provide more information, or correct me?

We did the incline at dusk and I still recall the city skyline. There was a large Westinghouse building with the logo going all around the building and it would illuminate the W logo bit by bit in different sequences.

Dale

There are two operating inclines in Pittsburgh, the Duquesne and the Monongahela. At peak there were 17 inclines operating in Pittsburgh. My dad rode the Mount Oliver incline from home to high school when he was at South High.

Here are two pictures of the incline on the Carnegie Science Center layout.

Dale, I have that Westinghouse sign on my layout. It loosely models the Pittsburgh area.

The Westinghouse sign was on the Northside. As others pointed out there are 2 operating inclines now in Pittsburgh.

Check out this site for some great incline information and pictures.

This is an amazing 3rail museum layout that I knew nothing about until seeing this thread. Have ordered a book about it and its history from the Carnegie Science Center. Sadly, can't find an equivalent book about Minton Cronkhite's original O scale Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Santa Fe themed layout, which was long ago converted to HO.👎🏻 But there's a reasonable collection of old photos of it online, including here:

https://inthegardencity.com/20...oconnor/#jp-carousel

Here's an excellent You Tube video on how to build an operating

Pittsburgh Incline Model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXcwi5Mpo6c

@AmFlyer posted:

Dale, I have that Westinghouse sign on my layout. It loosely models the Pittsburgh area.

Tom,

Your sign looks great!  I have the sign and plan to mount it on a building front against the wall behind the layout as I only have about 1/4" of clearance.  Where did you get that building front?

Bill

@Pennsylover posted:

About 50 years ago there were two inclines in Pittsburgh - from a distance one was rather sleek and new looking and safe, and the other was dilapidated and seemed ready to fall apart and slide off the side of the mountain.   Since I'm afraid of heights, I was dismayed that we had to ride the scary dilapidated incline.  If my memory servers me well, it was like a split-level wooden shack with steps-like long benches to sit on inside, and it swayed back and forth sideways wildly as we went up the hill.   It was an unforgettable experience and years later I'm glad we did it.  Again, this was many, many years ago, but I'd hazard a guess that the incline was 10 x 10 or maybe a bit larger.  Can anyone provide more information, or correct me?

We did the incline at dusk and I still recall the city skyline. There was a large Westinghouse building with the logo going all around the building and it would illuminate the W logo bit by bit in different sequences.

Dale

Yes, I recall that Westinghouse sign - it was famous for the permutations and variations in illumination (which segments would light up and in what sequence to make the complete Circle W).  I believe it (and the over 130 Westinghouse divisions in Pittsburgh during the 1980's) was a casualty of their ill-fated expansion into financial services.  They lost their shirts on some bad loans.  The name "Westinghouse" still exists (as part of someone else) and their HQ is in Cranberry Township.

George

Here's something that would add a nice touch.  I bought mine at a local train show from the club that sponsors it here in Pittsburgh.  $40 at the time.

As with all Miller signs, it is animated too.  Sorry that I don't have a better image.

BTW: as a side note since it was mentioned earlier here: As to that Westinghouse sign - that's my pride and joy in a way.  Chris was going to offer one and then changed his mind due to lack of specs on the real sign.  I did some research and sent to him what I found, along with pictures of the actual sign.  He then decided to make it and gave me mine as a thank you.

- walt

Bill, there are 26 buildings/fronts that make up my "Pittsburgh" city scene. The actual 1/64 buildings are DSL Shops and Twin Whistle. What we could get in 1/64 left a lot of gaps. A few were filled with Walthers HO buildings with a resized first floor.  The remaining spaces were filled with fronts made from laser cut acrylic with detail parts from Walthers glued on. The S scale doors and windows were also from Walthers. The building holding the W sign was made this way. All this custom work was done by a professional model builder.

One of the members of my club did an incline module.  It is still a work in progress, as it is not motorized yet.

Andy

There is also a Johnstown inclined plane.  This is apparently undergoing serious restoration but I have ridden it and had it haul my vehicle several times.

Impressive model work. It looks much steeper than the real thing. The Mon incline is 35.5 degrees.

Here is one my brother made after the Johnstown pa incline I add to my layout you will see it in the back ground

With the trains, the incline and the Automotion FX cars there is a lot of action on your layout. Thanks for posting the video.

tom you are welcome

kevin

@kwisor Very cool layout!  Would you please share what means of locomotion physically moves the autos around the roads and how the lights on them are powered?

Their website is automotionfx.com

Tom, Thank you for the information.

Thank you folks for the insights and videos. When you are looking down from Mt. Washington, and NS freights are going by below, it looks like someone’s layout. A spectacular view especially looking out over the three rivers.

@SteveH posted:

@kwisor Very cool layout!  Would you please share what means of locomotion physically moves the autos around the roads and how the lights on them are powered?

thank you

Here is a picture taken from the Carnegie Science Center looking back across the river to Mount Washington. The Mon Incline is visible to the left, it is not as steep as in looks in this perspective.